THE NARRATORS

Part of the human experience is that we are constantly describing, classifying, and judging in our mind everything we experience in the world. This is what my father referred to as the “voice of knowledge.” I call this internal chatter the “narrators.”

The narrators talk about whatever catches your attention, and they describe things through the lens of your existing beliefs. These voices are constantly telling us how we should think about or react to any situation. They can keep us rooted to past experiences as we try to make sense of the present. They have a predilection for fitting new experiences neatly into our preconceptions of life.

This habit is self-limiting, because constantly fitting every experience you have into the box of what you already know keeps you from learning something new. Ultimately, you will be pulled out of awareness and away from your experience of the present moment in favor of locking in a comparison to the past.

Practice

If you are unaware, your narrators will run your life by making all you decisions automatically, based solely on your past experience and your existing beliefs. Remember that while your narrators may talk and talk, they are not who you are, and, consequently, you don’t have to agree with them. Awareness is key in distinguishing the narrators from the true voice of your Authentic Self.

Living a Life of Awareness

~ Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.